A pair of George II mahogany library armchairs. The needlework was made in the 1750s by Lady Barbara, daughter of the 8th Earl of Pembroke and wife of Dudley North (son of the earlier Dudley North who was married to Catherine Yale). Percy Macquoid inspected the original drawings by Lady Barbara in the early 1900s and published one of them in his seminal work ‘A History of English Furniture’ alongside a photograph of one of these chairs. Sadly the drawings were destroyed in a fire at Glemham in 1913.

The chairs were originally part of a larger suite, from which nine armchairs can be traced. Each chair depicts a different bird, inspired by George Edwards’s ‘Natural History of Uncommon Birds’, published between 1743 and 1751. Another pair of chairs, one depicting a parrot, is in the Colonial Williamsburg collection. Two further chairs depicting a dove and a pigeon and formerly in the Colonial Williamsburg collection are now in a private collection in New York; a single chair depicting an owl is recorded in the Gerstenfeld Collection in Washington; and another single chair depicting a peacock was sold at auction in 1954, although its current whereabouts is unknown.

Illustrated:
Percy Macquoid, ‘A History of English Furniture,’ vol. III, ‘The Age of Mahogany’, 1906, figs. 188-9; one of the pair illustrated and one of the designs for the needlework by Lady Barbara North.

Delivery And Installation In The UK
Delivery and installation are complimentary of Ronald Phillips within the UK. Ronald Phillips will arrange delivery to your home, and if required a member of the Ronald Phillips team will accompany the piece and ensure installation.

Export From The UK
One of the leading names in English antique furniture Ronald Phillips has built up a client base worldwide. If you live outside of the UK and an export licence is required this will be applied for by Ronald Phillips. International shipping and insurance will also be arranged. Our shipping department will arrange safe transport to any destination by experienced and approved shipping companies.

Guarantee
Ronald Phillips are members of The British Antique Dealers Association.
The BADA is the trade association for the leading antique dealers in Britain. Since its foundation in 1918 BADA has set the standard for trading in the antique business. Its main role is to establish and maintain confidence between members and the public, both in buying and selling.

How to Buy

Delivery And Installation In The UK
Delivery and installation are complimentary of Ronald Phillips within the UK. Ronald Phillips will arrange delivery to your home, and if required a member of the Ronald Phillips team will accompany the piece and ensure installation.

Export From The UK
One of the leading names in English antique furniture Ronald Phillips has built up a client base worldwide. If you live outside of the UK and an export licence is required this will be applied for by Ronald Phillips. International shipping and insurance will also be arranged. Our shipping department will arrange safe transport to any destination by experienced and approved shipping companies.

Guarantee
Ronald Phillips are members of The British Antique Dealers Association.
The BADA is the trade association for the leading antique dealers in Britain. Since its foundation in 1918 BADA has set the standard for trading in the antique business. Its main role is to establish and maintain confidence between members and the public, both in buying and selling.